Film reel



March 14, 1944. G, KEE 2,343,980

FIL'M REEL Filed Sept. 11, 1942 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 i 1 I March 14, 1944.G. w. KEENE FILM REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Q 2 9 km I 1 1 n L p e S d e ll F Patented Mar. 14, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT; times ApplicationSeptember Claims. (01. 242-74) This invention is directed to the generalstructure of the reel and particularly to the means provided forengaging a strip of film near its end to hold the same under moderatetension in order to prevent slippage of the film upon the hub. Indevices of this general character with which I am familiar, it has beenthe general practice to provide spring tongues or the like between whichthe film is forced in mounting it upon the hub, and such tongues arearranged to exert a light spring pressure against the edges of the film;bu difllculty is sometimes experienced due to the fact that the tonguesmay become slightly bent or displaced, and in view of the fact that thethin edge only of the film is subjected .to spring contact, the use ofsuch a device is frequently unsatisfactory. In the present invention, Irely rather on the inherent flexibility of the film itself tovmaintainadequate frictional contact by providing the hub tions ofreduced width which permit the contiguous side edges of the film to befiexed inwardly and engaged beneath opposed pro- J'ections which thushold the film bowed or flexed .and under its own inherent tension sothat accidental displacement will not occur.

The arrangement is one which permits the film to beeasily andconveniently secured upon the hub of the reel and at the same timepermits withdrawal without danger-of tearing after the film has beenunwound and while still under winding tension.

The invention in one of its forms is also directed to the two-piece reelconstruction embodying-the features above noted in such a way as topermit companion reel sections to be stamped from plate metal and unitedin an easy and-convenient manner. v

Further objects and details will appear from the'description of theinvention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure1 is a side elevation of, the reel as formed with two sides and aseparately formed hub; r Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 ofFig. 1; a v

Fig. 3 is a-detail of the hub bridge and'coacting lips for engaging thefilm near its end; v

, Fig. 4 is a fragmentalperspective viewof the film-engaging portion ofthe reel; Fig. 5 is a view of one of the hub blanks in fiat condition;

Flg.- 6is a side the sides, and;

with one or more bridge porelevationof a two-piece reel I which the hubportion is formed integrally -with- Fig. 7 is'a sectional view taken online l-'I of Fig.6.

Referring partic larly to the construction shown in Figures 1 to 5, thereel consists of 'two sides In formed of plate material or wheel-likeconfiguration comprising a rim H, spokes l2, and a" center portion'l3whichlatter is provided with apertures l4 aligned'with the'spokeswhich reduces weight and permits access to be had to the interior.

The two sides are held in spaced relation by a cylindrical hub [5 whichas shown is formed of two sections l5a of plate material stamped toprovide the configuration shown in Fig. 5. The two sections arebenttocircular form to afiord the hub which carries the film and arepreferably secured to the sides by the provision of edge tongues liiwhich are bent inwardly and united with the sides'at the 'ba'ses'of thespokes by spot welding or the like; although other means for securingthe parts together might be used.

The two hub sections'are spacedto afiord op-' positely disposed gaps Hwhich, if desired, may be used to permit insertion of the end of thefilm through the hub in "the conventional manner which, however,comprise no essential part of the present invention. The hub sections atpoints between the spoke bases are curvedly cut away. on each side toprovide a narrow center bridge I8 which" bridge lies betweenjfopposedinwardly extending lips 19 SQ positione'dfthatthe under faces of the theouter'face of the "bridge'withtlie result that when a film strip F is tobe engaged, the edges of the strip will be flexed or bowed inwardlyonopposite sides ofthe bridge and 'caught and held beneath the tongues sothat the inherent flexibility of the film'strip itself will holdthefedgsof the strip in firm frictional icontact with the under sides of thelips.

-In the formationof' the bridge, the hub" is'cut' away sufiiciently toprovide arelatively narrow strip which stands in somewhat wi'dely spacedre-' lation to the inner edges of the lipsso thatadequate clearance willbe afEOrdedFto permit the operator to; easily spress down. the: edges ofthe film into engagingrelation with the lipsli ..-'The bridge presentsopposed concave. edges' so-ethat when the unwinding is complete; theendof the film tripwillbadrawn away under the. unwind ing. tension andreleased; without; danger of tearing abrasipnf It; W l1 n q st dithathe.

reelis mounted on a spindle in the usualmanner,

purpose.

lips',will' lie in a plane inward of a central rt re be n rp v d qi rthat tsngir s whichg rf o In the form shown in Figures 6 and 7, similarmeans for engaging the film strip are provided but in this case theentire reel is formed from two side plates, each of wheel-like formationcomprising spokes 2|, a rim 22, and a central portion 23. Beyond thebase of each spoke, on

It will be noted that 5 spokes are provided so that each spoke willstand in opposed relation to I53 the structure, and opposite each ofthese gaps the metal of the central portion 23 is struck free to providea tongue 21 which is bowed r'arched p at 28 and presents its end edges29 radially out- I a gap between spokes on the opposite side of,

ward to provide a thin or narrow bridge similar in func ionto the bridgefirst described. The ends 29 are spot welded and these ends presentthattheir operation becomes defective and uncertain.

Although the invention has been described with particularity as todetail, it is not the intention, unless otherwise indicated in theclaims, to limit the invention to minor features of construction.

I claim:

1. A reel for a film strip comprising spaced sides and a separatelyformed hub portion consisting of strip material bent to circular shapeand intei'posed, between the sides and having its edges rigidly securedtheretogsaid'hub' portion havtheir edges at a point between-inwardlyextend- 7 ing. lips 30, which correspond in function to the iips'wfirstdes ribed i p v it will be apparent "fronithe abov descriptionthatthedoubly-a-rched hub portions stand in V alternate relation .to theibridge portions 29 so that interrupted contact Ti afiorded the film ;at

' l y paced intervals and in circular alignment so that a hub-likestructure is provided and adequate provision made atrecurrent intervalsfor engaging the filmby flexing its" edges downwardly on oppositesidesof the bridge afforded by the'tongue ends '29. 'The hub construction isprovided with the usualcentral aperture 3| to permit the reel to bemounted upon aspindle in the conventional'manner.

The construction of Figures '6 and 7 is one whichjenables 'the partslto'be uniformly'staniped from plate'rnaterial, and in view of the fact thatthe hub tongues. Mare; attached at their inner ends and recurvedinwardly, it is not necessary to. provide for asharpbend Or angle. tosnugly accommodatetheedge of the film which Would befthe, case if the.hub sections were formed from bending, "were connected the spokes attheir outer vrather than'their in nus yrerming the; tongues in themann'e showng sh'arp angles with'iresulting; strain on thiejinetal areavoided. The same thing is true ofithe' bridge tongueswhich; may be benton easy lines, of curvature s avoided. j or I t.

It will be notejd thatfmeans are provided for engaging the film 'inthetwo difierent forms of construction which function in ,a substantiallyidentical. manner and that the difierences in the that sharp angles arem de pr fabrication ar without substantial ef}, feet in the operation ofthe completed structure.

It will also be notedithat the arrangement is one whichpfiordsasomewhat, extendedarea of contact 3betweerr the. marginalgface of thefilm and he; means provided to; prevent. its slippage on thee-hub; andthat inladditionito the extended area thus'providedthe'film itself willcontact the inherent flexibility} I V v It will" furthermore be notedthat the film engaging means 'here' provided are rigidly formed whichtend to become displaced or weakened so to afford a relatively narrowbridge, and coactangle fro'mthe sides and terminating short of thebridge and presenting their under faces inwardly or the outer'face ofthe bridge and positioned-to overlie and engage th marginal faces of afilm strip when, flexed across the bridge.

2.]A reel for a film strip comprising companion side plates havinginwardly struck therefrom op-' posed'tongues having theirendportions inabutting relation [and rigidly united with their tips presentedoutwardly between the ,side plates to afiord' a relatively narrowbridge, and coacting lips inwardly struck from the side plates onopposite sides of the bridge and having their under faces locatedinwardly of the outer face 01 the bridge and positioned to engage "themarginal faces of a film strip when flexed inwardly across the bridge. I

3. A reel for a film strip comprising companion side plates having.inwardly struck therefrom opposed tongues having their end portions inabutting relation and rigidly united with their tips presented outwardlybetween the side plates to afiord a'relatively narrowpbridge, andcoacting lips inwardly-struck from the side plates on opposite sides ofthe bridge and having their under faces located inwardly of the outerface of the bridge and positioned to engage the marginal faces of a filmstrip when flexed inwardly across the bridge, and additional opposedtongues struck inwardlyfrom the side plates and having their endportions recurved and presented inwardly and rigidly unitedandpresenting their bends outwardly to aiford in unison'a hub-likesurface for carrying the film strip.

4; A reel for a'film strip comprising companion side plates havinginwardly struck therefrom opposed tongues having theirend portions inabutting relation and rigidly united with their tips presented outwardlybetween the side plates v ing lips inwardly struck from-the side plateson BIL bends outwardly to afford in un-ison 'ahub-like lips with;considerablepressure. due to its own o opposite sides of thebridgeandhaving their under faces located inwardly of the outer face ofthe bridge and positioned to'engage th marginal faces of a film stripwhen flexed inwardly across the bridge, and additional-opposed tonguesstruck inwardly from-fthe side plate and having their end portionsrecurved'jand presented inwardly and rigidly united and presenting theirsurface for carrying the film strip, companion pairs of bridge forming'-tongues'and hub forming tongues alternating with one another.

5. A'reel for afilmstr'ip consisting of spaced side members and aninterposed hub portion.

the hubpbrtion being provided in a portion of its circumference with acentrally disposed narrdw bridge spaced fromeach'of' the sidemembers-and positioned to contact th'ejcenter of the under face of afilm while allowing each edge to the outer race or the bridge and spacedtherethereo! to project laterally from the bridge, and from suflicientlyto permit a film when contacted opposed rigid lips extending inwardlyfrom the centrally by the bridge to have its margins flexed side membersat an abrupt angle thereto and preinwardly under the lips and engagedthereby to senting their tip edges inwardly in spaced rela- 5 maintainthe film under stress due to its fiexation to the respective sides ofthe bridge with the tion.

under sides of the lips inwardly ofiset relatively GEORGE W. KEENE.

